Tag Archives: decor

December is here!! November…came and left – FAST! Didn’t it? I feel like I merely blinked and it was gone. And now the most wonderful time of the year is quickly approaching!

I have a lot of good stuff to share these days as a lot has been happening and I’ve been making more of an effort to document these happenings and whipping out my iPhone at a moments notice! 😉 I think being a mom has helped me learn to have super quick reflexes!

Speaking of being a mom – Levi is now a ONE YEAR OLD! Can you believe it?! They certainly don’t stay little for long. It seems as though almost overnight he’s full of sass at times and has all these opinions about things. Not even kidding! He now shakes his head ‘no’ all.the.time. And he’s suddenly become a picky eater! And super independent with things now too. Where did my snuggly little baby go? He’s always itching to go explore 🙂 .

To celebrate his first birthday we drove back down to Matt’s parents. They let us have his party there – which worked out super well because that way he could be with family and close friends. It was a lumberjack themed party – which I thought was pretty perfect for the time of year, Movember and all that good stuff 😉 . It was a full house – I think there was about 26 adults and 12 little ones running everywhere! My in laws are pretty awesome for opening up their house to that many guests!!

It was so much fun planning this party. It definitely helped me to be more excited about the fact that my baby is now one year old! Pinterest is always a great inspiration and got my creative juices flowing. When I think about my theme “lumberjack” I think about flannel, outdoorsy, camping, roughing it, that type of rustic feel. So I incorporated a lot of natural, outdoorsy elements in my decor and tried to keep it as simple as possible. With this theme, I was able to utilize a lot of our camping gear as well as my winter/Christmas decor, so that helped us to stay on a budget! I had leaves, acorns, and pinecones scattered around, and used more rustic party supplies like birch “ribbon”, twine and burlap.

I printed off some fun lumberjack photos from Pinterest as well as some of Levi’s first few months…

Aww, look how little ❤

The key things I wanted to have at the party was a hot chocolate bar and trail mix favours, so those were fun to have and were enjoyed by both the kids and adult alike 🙂 .

My awesome sister took all the photos for me as I was busy prepping food/welcoming guests, etc… But sadly there wasn’t a picture taken of the hot cocoa table! I can tell you that it was fully stocked with many goodies! We had out both a vanilla syrup and a peppermint syrup (that I made myself). Then for the toppings there was both chocolate and butterscotch chips, whipped cream, caramel sauce and cinnamon, mini marshmallows and even salt! So people could have a salted caramel hot chocolate or even a peppermint one! There were many flavour options and it was thoroughly enjoyed. This is something I’ll definitely do again at another party 🙂 .

For the trail mix we put out salted peanuts, pumpkin seeds, banana chips and raisins. I had some “sweet timber” out on that table too which was Kit Kat bars stacked like logs and scattered some tootsie rolls to add a little sweetness to all that salty.

I made everything myself. I wanted a fabric banner and considered buying one on Etsy, but it was cheaper to make it (and was super simple!) I baked “pancake” sugar cookies, and also made both red velvet and chocolate cupcakes (black and red – lumberjack flannel, anyone?!)

I had picked up both the lantern (similar) and the wooden server (acacia) from Chapters/Indigo. The candle was Bath and BodyWorks “Pumpkin Pecan Waffles”! Mmm…it was especially fitting as lumberjacks are known for their big breakfasts!

We took our own cakesmash/ one year photos of Levi at a conservation area and then had those pictures framed an on display at the party! I was so pleased with how well they turned out. Little bottle brush trees were found at the Dollarstore.

Everyone came over for lunch and we served pulled pork on a bun with a side of brown beans and broccoli salad (which I nicknamed “forest of trees” – everything is on theme, of course!) with apple cider punch. There was other little finger foods/ snacks (s’mores kabobs AND s’mores dip!) and by the time we brought out the cupcakes everyone was either stuffed or had indulged in too many sweets already!

The birch paper straws I ordered on Amazon as well as the wooden utensils! The plates and napkins were from the dollar store.

“Sharp” cheddar and Pepper “Jack” cheeses 😉 . To keep things cohesive, food was placed on either white or wooden serveware. Some things were left to keep warm (pork in slow cooker, beans in a soup pot and S’mores dip in a cast iron skillet).

The cute little “log” place card holders are Kate Aspen and fit the party theme perfectly!

The cute “Don’t Feed the Bear” printable can be found on Etsy. The bear glass jar that I had filled with Teddy Graham’s was actually Matt’s that he had kept from his childhood! My sister let me borrow the brown teddy bear 🙂 .

I love how hard dad is laughing in that picture above!

He thoroughly enjoyed that cupcake 😀 !

You can kind of see the hot chocolate table set up behind us under the window and photo banner.

Levi was gifted some really cute clothes, a few toys and lots of great books!

Levi and I got a few cute pictures with my younger brother and sister. I loved that a few people dressed up in the lumberjack flannel shirts to fit the theme!

Poor Levi had so much fun but was so hopped up on that cupcake and was in dire need of his afternoon nap! He was super tired after all the party festivities came to an end.
It was awesome to be back around family to celebrate the blessing this kid is! Matt and I feel so fortunate that he’s ours and that he has such a wonderful extended family who loves him and prays for him regularly. We are truly blessed. ❤️

Lately I’ve been in a clean out/ donate everything/simplify mood. 🙂 I’ve been sorting through stuff whenever Levi is napping, rummaging in our closets and cupboards. Our basement is currently unfinished (other than being framed) so there are still a couple boxes down there from our move last *gulp* year! Stuff that I felt I couldn’t get rid myself of… Mostly nostalgic items.

A couple of weeks ago I was bringing out my Summery clothing (yes, I have clothes that changes with the seasons – call me crazy 😉 ) and filled two garbage bags with clothes that I had not worn in a couple years! It’s ready to be donated, and frankly, it feels so good. I was hoping to cash in on this feeling of organizing and I’ll celebrate with a fresh home accent when it’s all said and done. Next up is my purse collection. Not even sure how it turned into a collection. Seems I have a bit of a pack rat trait!

Here are a few things I’ve got my eye on to add a fresh touch to our home:

I love getting a few seasonal throws. It’s an easy and fun way to change up a room without the expensive commitment of a major room overhaul! Not only that, but they are practical as the days turn cooler. Call me crazy, but even in the Summer months I enjoy watching a movie under the weight of a throw over me! I also enjoy the punch of colour they give against a dark or light couch or armchair. Our living room set is off white, and so it adds nice colour contrast when there’s a throw draped over. It also helps to add some texture!

I’ve rounded up a few of my favourite Fall throws and they range in price. They all come in various colours too, which offers flexibility with your current décor!

Click on the corresponding numbers below to learn more details about each throw:

Aren’t they awesome? They look so warm, cozy and inviting! Do you love Fall as much as I do? Throws are just another something I happen to love about this upcoming favourite season of mine. It was just perfect to blog about them today on “Things I’m Loving Thursday” 😀 . Hope you’re having a wonderful week! ❤

The other day I had a bit of a crafty craving come over me! Does anyone else ever feel like that 🙂 ? I was just itching to make a craft or two. I had pulled out our Fall decor, and then I began rummaging through my craft supply bins. I started making a “FALL” sign for our front entrance (which I’ll share another day), and then it occurred to me to utilize the wine corks I’d been storing…

A friend of mine actually collected them over time, and asked if anyone would be willing to take them off her hands. Of course I couldn’t pass them up! After snatching them off her, they sadly sat, unused for roughly a year. I finally put them to good use, and they are looking pretty cute! 😉

This craft is super simple to make yourself and I, thisperfectionist, did it in about 40 minutes.

What You’ll Need:

25 Wine Corks

Green fabric or scrapbook paper

Scissors

Orange paint

Paint brush

Paper/styrofoam plate

Newspaper

Gluegun

Thin, crafting wire

Spanish moss

What To Do:

Pour a little paint onto your disposable plate.

Using the paint brush, paint the bottom ends of each wine cork (I used the bottom because the other sides had been punctured with the bottle opener). *You COULD just dip each end in paint, but I think using the brush would make it more neat.*

Lay each cork to dry on some newspaper.

While the paint is drying, plug in your glue gun to get it hot. (Also place on newspaper to protect the surface you’re working on).

Using the scissors, trace out a leaf onto the piece of fabric/craft paper you’re using. Set aside.

Once paint is dry, beginning gluing each row together. First (bottom row) is 4. Next row is 5, then 6. Then glue 5 more together side by side, and lastly 4 again (for the top).

I mentioned how Fall is my favourite season, and this year in our new home I wasted absolutely no time getting our seasonal decor out!

The coffee table has an easy peasy centrepiece on it: a basket filled with various potpourri. A candle Wrapped in birch bark is in the centre surrounded by cinnamon sticks, pinecones, chestnuts, acorns, birch branches, grapevine balls and the ends of ornamental fall grasses.

Also in the living room we have a antique steamer trunk that we’ve been using as a side table. I put out a framed chalkboard printable that I found on Nest of Posies – which I LOVE! The font she chose is so pretty and it has everything I love most about the Fall season written on it. The trunk also has a few frames on it with various pictures of us, a lantern holding a candle, some Indian corn, and my ceramic pumpkin tea light holder from Bath & BodyWorks (which smells ahhhmazing)!

The dining room table has a glass apothecary jar filled with layers of split peas, corn, and navy beans. A candle is in the middle and wrapped around with some twine there’s a lovely autumn leaf tying in the colours from the orangey corn and greenish peas. 🙂

Our coffee station has also been Fall-ified! A burlap runner covers the top, and cinnamon sticks and brown sugar have been added for lattes and cappuccinos. I also found this printable from the blog, The Diary of Dave’s Wife, to get it ready for the pumpkin spice season!! I just hope to still gather some crab apples from the tree in our backyard and add them in a bushel off to the side of the cabinet/ hutch. Then also attempt to make some crab apple jam 😉 .

Beside the coffee nook I placed a wicker picnic basket and placed a rustic looking pumpkin and a bundle of wheat that I wrapped with twine.

My DIY chalkboard is above that, and I have yet to update that with something more autumnal. And then on the other wall in the dining room, there’s a shelf mounted. I placed some sunflowers in my designated wine bottle “vase” and have some corks under a wine glass, with of course, a candle placed on top of the stem. I hope to find something else little for that shelf – perhaps a cute owl or something!

I crafted this wine cork pumpkin the other day that I have yet to post a little tutorial about. It’s such a simple DIY! I hope to share it in a day or so.

So it’s still in the making, but it’s definitely beginning to look more Fall-like in our household! My next little project will be decorating our entrance with some seasonal elements. I currently only have a wreath hanging on our front door, but eager to head over to a local pumpkin patch soon for some pumpkins and mums to adorn our front steps!

*What do you do to decorate for the Fall? I’d love it if you would share your ideas with me!*

Like this:

Happy Labour day weekend, folks! I hope you’ve been enjoying your long weekend and it’s been full of the perfect amount of sunshine and relaxation. We’ve had more of a productive couple of days rather than relaxing at a cottage, BBQ-ing or chilling by a pool. A weekend that was full of prepping and painting nursery walls, and actually breaking out the Fall décor! We put the “labour” in labour day. 😉

We finally chose the colour scheme for baby K’s nursery on Friday, and picked out the chair rail. We are also going to be painting his dresser & turning it into a change table. Next is a visit to Fabricland to decide on fabrics to reupholster a rocker/glider chair and matching ottoman.

The top half of the chair rail

The bottom half of the room.

These colours are more neutral, and were easier for me to decide on. I knew I wanted something kind of sophisticated and masculine…brown/tan that would work to represent ‘sand’ in his nautical themed room. The other colours, however, were a little trickier for me. Kind of scary because the colours aren’t so quiet – they’re actually pretty bold and bright! “Big Sea” was the shade chosen from the “Deep & Luxurious” CIL paint collection to makeover the dresser. Pretty perfect, if I do say so myself:

CIL’s “Big Sea” – dresser colour

From CIL’s “Deep & Luxurious” Collection we settled on a sort-of navy that we would use to paint some of the accessories and décor in the room:

Hey friends! How has the end of your Summer been going? I know…so sad. It always seems to fly by! Ours seemed crazy busy, between our move mid-July, to family parties, zoo trips, a camping trip and all the travelling back and forth (about 2x a month) to our home town – POOF! It’s gone!

It felt like we accomplished quite a bit:

~ Found out our baby’s gender!

~ Had my first OB appointment

~ Moved into a new house

~ Went to the beach a handful of times

~ Went camping/had bonfires

~ Visited a new-to-us local zoo

So, yeah, it was pretty busy and quite enjoyable! This coming Fall brings with it more newness. We hope to find a home church in our new city, attend prenatal classes, have a maternity photo shoot, and get the baby’s nursery all set up! Prenatal classes are in September in our town, and with Thanksgiving, maternity pictures and 2 showers October is going to whiz on by as well! So that just leaves the nursery…

Ahhh, yes – the nursery for our wee boy. First of all, can I just say how surprised we both were to find out we are having a boy?! Right from the start we both thought ‘girl’ for sure. So did much of my immediate family! Makes me think my mommy instincts are off or something! Don’t get me wrong, though, we are both thrilled to be having a little boy. We definitely wanted at least one of each (we both would love a big family). So, yeah, I just had to put on my thinking cap in terms of nursery décor. Theme? Colours? It took a week or so to kind of put ideas together and agree on stuff! Now we are set and this is the look we are going for:

Nautical Nursery for Baby ‘K’

Now, I know nautical is pretty popular – I’m seeing it for both genders actually. There’s just so many ways to work with it, keep it more sophisticated and not so “baby-like” and you can easily find pieces/décor/objects that you can incorporate into this theme literally ANYWHERE. The colour scheme we chose is navy, grey, turquoise & cream. The walls are going to be painted two-toned tan/beige (think sand), with a lighter shade up top, and darker below. Matt is going to be putting a chair rail up to separate the two colours. 😀

Hobby Lobby:

This cast iron anchor wall décor is perfect for a gallery wall! The colours will also match our theme nicely. Did I mention it’s only $3.99?

This fabric has the turquoise we want, and I plan to use it to create DIY bunting to hang above the curtains in the nursery. $9.99

I also will use burlap and a solid navy fabric for bunting. 😀

This steering wheel is wooden, and I love the twine wrapped around it. It’s regularly priced at $44.99, however I’ve seen it go on sale for 1/2 price a few times now. So for $22.50, it’s really not bad!

Message in a bottle – Hobby Lobby $5.99

These galvanized metal buckets are at Hobby Lobby, and while I love the rope handles, they’re priced at $12.99/ea. So I may just try to find them elsewhere as I need a few of them. You could just tie your own rope over the handles and voila!

This blogger said she got her particular buckets at Ikea, however, I can’t seem to find them online at neither the U.S. nor Canadian locations. BUT I did see some at Dollarama, and that’s fine by me. They would make for perfect storage on the closet shelf, etc…

The good thing about nautical décor is how versatile it can be. I would consider using baskets for blankets, crates for stuffed animals, etc… and it all goes with the theme!

I envisioned hanging this up and maybe placing some starfish in in. I would also hang a few of his baby pictures, as well. So a type of gallery wall!

Like so 🙂

So far we currently have the crib set up, a dresser that will be converted into a change table, and curtains hung. We also found a steal of a deal on a rocker/glider chair and gliding ottoman on Kijiji – $40 for the set! I am going to be on the hunt for a fabric to reupholster the pair. I also have a couple IKEA spice racksthat I will be painting white and converting into bookshelves. They will be hung within arms reach of my rocking/gliding chair. 🙂

Such a cute idea for forward facing childrens books – $6.99

Ikea “Matilda” curtains – sheer, white, $19.99/set. We have blinds as well, to keep daylight out more effectively, but love how breezy and light feel these curtains are.

This crib was just gifted to us by another guy on Matt’s crew at the firehall! It’s a 4-in-1 too, which is pretty awesome.

Pottery Barn (Kids):

Ever since I can remember I’ve had a love of all things Pottery Barn. I just REALLY love their style! So of course, I found this adorable navy, fabric sailboat that is perfect for our baby’s change table! It will corral diapers and other essentials, while it’s adorable grommet ‘port holes’ and canvas flag just scream “cuteness”! 😉

PB Fabric Sailboat Changing Table Storage – $39

Adorable lamp – I prefer just the nickel one. $89

I think I would get 3 navy or 3 white. Perfect for mounting under a floating shelf, and for hanging an outfit on!

…like so! 😉

Etsy:

I found a few cute wooden objects on Etsy that could be hung as well, OR set on the wall shelf (I want above the change table) However, if time allows, my handy husband convinced me that he can make these items for me:

These are NOT on Etsy, but Matt said he’d make one for me. If he makes the base and creates a dowel, I can make a sail with left over fabric from the bunting. This sailboat can sit on the shelf above the change table.

DIY:

So along with the possible wooden (see above) pieces Matt is crafting for this, I mentioned painting the spice rack/book shelves. I also want to spell out Baby K’s name (shhh…not telling!!) just under the oar above the crib. Each letter will be different. For example:

&

By using an old map, I plan to decoupage one of the letters in Baby K’s name!

Lots of ideas! I’m so glad we finally settled on a theme. I was being very indecisive about it! Tomorrow we are going out to pick up the paint. I can’t wait to get started on his room. I want Baby K to feel as special and loved as he is! 😀